Any tips @ oils, herbs, supplements, etc to aid healing/scarring?

[ebayfool]

I had a dog darn near take my lip off @ 3 weeks ago - sutures are out & no infection remains. But now I'm looking at a mouth that's not ... right.

Anything that will help w/reducing scarring - any suggestions at all - I will try. The things' just hanging wrong, & sticks out to the side. No sensation, to boot. Doc said severed nerves might regenerate somewhat, or again - might not. Could take up to a year to find out for sure. I'm no raving young thing, & never thought of myself as vain - but this is ... hurtful. I guess there is some vanity in there after all.

I'm taking all the vitamins I can think of:
A&D
C
E
B-Complex
Calcium/Mag/Zinc
Niacin as well - blood pressure is up since the pup tasted me. Never had a prob before now.

Anyone have any other suggestions I could try? Please?


These were taken @ a week ago, before the stitches came out. I haven't gotten 'afters' yet, but it looks much the same sans the sutures & scabbing. The shape & lumpiness is the same, along w/a big ol' smiley-face scar on my smiley-face. At least he didn't swallow the damned thing!


on edit:
took out pics
don't want to see them

[DemExpat]

1. So sorry to hear of your mishap here, djmaddox!

And of course you care about this being on your face....:hug:

What comes to my mind are these topical treatments:

Rosehipseed oil, calendula oil or extract (marigold), vitamin E - gently massaged into a scar or healing wound.
Keep it well-oiled or creamed.

I read about a silicon cream or gel that seems effective for new and old scars - Dermatix.

Also a reminder that it can take some time for it to heal properly. My young dog's spaying scar looked terrible for a couple of months to the point that I feared it was a permanent thing - but it slowly disappeared completely.

Very best wishes,

:hug:

DemEx

[u4ic]

12. My dermatologist recommended

a silicone patch (I think) that was supposed to be helpful.

I'm so sorry about what happened, djmaddox. Sending healing vibes to you. :hug:

[I Have A Dream]

2. I have no suggestions, djmaddox1, but I'm sending you light, love & ...

lots and lots of healing energy. I ask that the Universe help your lip to heal completely so that it is the same as it was before the incident occurred. (This or something better for the highest good of all involved.)

I'm so sorry that you had to go through this. :hug:

(You may want to put yourself in the June prayer thread so that people can send you energy throughout the month. I know that there are some people who go to the thread every day to send energy to the requests in it.)

[cassiepriam]

3. Have you seen a plastic surgeon?

I had a similar situation some years back and I consulted with several plastic surgeons who were very helpful, reassuring and made some excellent suggestions.

3 weeks out, it is going to be hard to tell what it will look like, takes a while for the swelling to go down. But if something doesn't look or feel right, I would go get a second opinion sooner rather than later.

And be careful what you put on the site now, in terms of scar reduction, consult first with a plastic surgeon. I was told that if I put the anti scar stuff on too early it would end up creating a valley.

[ebayfool]

15. I asked the ER doc @ plastic surgery, & he said that they could ...

make it look better later. I don't have insurance, but the owner of the dog has a homeowners' policy, so I'm hoping they will cover some kind of fix-it down the road. The ER was mostly worried @ saving the lip & infection, & I'm really grateful it's still there! They said they wouldn't have tried if it was a finger or other body part that wouldn't have been as noticeable. Considering the amount of swelling, I'm kinda surprised they did such a good job lining up the lip line & stuff as much as they did.

I keep telling myself that I'm seeing it worse than what it is, but then I look up & catch people staring at my mouth in line at the market or gas pump. My daughter came to town today & saw it for the first time. When I said 'it doesn't look too bad, does it?' - she just quietly said yes. At first, my little grand daughters turned their cheeks when I kissed them, like they were steeling themselves up.

You know what's really funny? The first week or so, it looked better than it does now. The top lip was bitten but not torn, so it was swelled up to match the bottom. At least they matched up then. Top hasn't much of a mark at all now, & swelling gone. So instead of 'Angelina Jolie' lips, I have half of her bottom lip w/chin stitched into it. Yecch!

Right now, I can't even get the insurance adjuster to recall my calls @ where to send the receipts & bills. I've got to get them to cover the ER bills first, then go on to getting them to cover a plastic surgeon. I'm trying to avoid it, but it may come down to having to get an attorney. It's reassuring to hear from someone else that has had a similar situation, I appreciate that.

All in all - it can be fixed. After starting this thread I saw that movie @ the French woman w/the face transplant after she was mauled by dog(s) - knocked most of my self-pity right out of me. Another was found dead in my town this week from an attack, though the details are still sketchy. There are people that have that right (self-pity) so much more - I'm lucky to have such a small thing that can be repaired. There's that 'universe kicking-in-the-pants synchronocity' thing again!

[cassiepriam]

17. The ER docs stitched you up in the ER, did not call in a plastic surg?

(I learned the hard way, from now on, only a plastic works on facial injuries. There are plastics on call at any hospital, insist they call one in).

I will tell you what I would do at this point.

I would make an appt right away with the best plastic surgeon in your area and I would go in for a consult, NOW. You will have to pay out of pocket for the consult, may be $100. Tell him or her the whole story. If he or she knows what they are doing they will take very good pictures of the injury on the spot.

And you will be told what kind of follow up surgery will be needed, or if hopefully at some point when the swelling goes down totally, it will look OK. Find out all your options. You don't have to do anything at this point, just start getting info.

Make sure you keep all of your bills. And keep notes of every professional you see and what they tell you.

YOu may also want to get a consult with an attorney, they often do a free consult. Again, you are just gathering info. You also have the option of not hiring an attny but going to small claims court which is cheaper, since you do the work yourself.

Also do NOT let the ins adjuster send you a check and have you sign a waiver that they are done. They are going to pressure you to do that. And then future surgeries will not be covered. You will not know about that til the plastic looks at you. The ins adjuster is putting you on ignore since they know they may be out some money.

Right now I would be doing my homework bigtime and finding out what my options are. You deserve to have your face as close to normal as they can get it. What you are describing is unacceptable.

[ebayfool]

23. No, the on call doc was a D.O. - I think that's an orthopedic guy?

I didn't find that out till this week when I asked the billing dept what he was - at the time I didn't really know what to ask - or who to ask for. I was just concentrating on holding my lip on w/a baggie of ice & trying not to bleed on everything. The owner was w/me though, & she said later that they had said they could call one in. She said it wasn't necessary, that they were 'padding' the bill (the most repeated sentence I've heard from her!). I really wasn't fully present, & I didn't know at the time how bad it was. I was trying to be the 'Mom' & keep in control of myself. I didn't know it was hanging like that till a nurse told me to shut up so he could flap my mouth for me - I talk too much when I'm nervous or scared. He's the one that told me it was hanging by the inner edge of skin - after that I was just trying not to throw up.

I'm going to do what you said & research - I have no clue @ who's good here in plastic surgery. I know some of my customers have used it, so I can start by picking their brains to see who's name might be repeated as the go-to-guy locally. Attorneys? Same thing. Housekeeping is like bartending or psych people - access to good info from the inside!

I'm in way over my head w/docs & legal stuff, definitely w/insurance people, but smart enough to admit it. And definitely smart enough to take good advise - & you've given me good advise here. Thanks again!

[cassiepriam]

25. The owner of the dog is the one who refused to let a plastic surg

come in??????

She was very very foolish, by turning down the very best care she could get for you, she may end up paying considerably more. I am not an attorney but this does not sound good at all to me. I am getting angry as I hear this story. It sounds like she took advantage of you since you were in shock.

A DO is a doctor of osteopathy. Not an orthopedic. I am assuming that he is an ER trained doc. Don't get me wrong, they are good for what they do. My sister is law is an ER doc and I love her to pieces. She can save a life with her eyes closed. But doing facial reconstruction? I don't think so.

Yes, go do your homework, you can even get consults from a couple of attorneys and plastic surgeons. Get the best advice you can get and then make a decision.

And make sure you tell the attny the piece where the owner refused the plastic surgeon.

[Ilsa]

29. Doctor of osteopathy, which is Not an orthopedic doctor

Osteopathic medicine is practiced by D.O.s in the United States. Osteopathic medicine was developed in 1874 by Dr. A.T. Still who stated "Any variation from health has a cause, and the cause has a location. It is the business of the osteopathic physician to locate and remove it, doing away with the disease and getting healthy instead." He believed that many medications (at that time) were useless and even harmful. He identified the musculoskeletal system as a key component for good health.

Both D.O.s and M.D.s typically have a four year undergraduate degree prior to medical training.
Both D.O.s and M.D.s have spent four-years in medical education. Both take the MCAT and are subject to a rigorous application process. Historically, D.O. schools are more open to the non-traditional candidate.
D.O.s, like M.D.s, choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine and complete a residency program ranging from 3-7 years. Some D.O.s complete the same residency programs as their M.D. counterparts.

M.D. students take the USMLE exam and D.O. students take the COMLEX exam . Both must pass a state licensing examination to practice medicine.

D.O.s perform surgery, deliver children, treat patients, prescribe medications and work in the same settings as M.D.s. D.O.s use the same tools, treatments and technologies of medicine as M.D.s.

D.O.s recieve extra training in the musculoskeletal system, which make up the nerves, muscles and bones of a person.

The main difference between the two types of physicians is that D.O.s have been specially trained to perform osteopthic manipulations on patients. They view the patient as a 'total person" and focus on preventative care. They view the whole body rather than treat specific symptoms or illness. D.O.s use Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) in their practice. This involves the use of their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to encourage your body's natural ability to heal. Osteopathic medicine is a fast-growing segment of the United States healthcare field. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) states that:

"Because of this whole-person approach to medicine, approximately 60 percent of all D.O.s choose to practice in the primary care disciplines of family practice, general internal medicine and pediatrics. Approximately 40 percent of all D.O.s go on to specialize in a wide range of practice areas. If the medical specialty exists, you will find D.O.s there.

While America’s 47,000 D.O.s account for only 5 percent of the country’s physicians, they handle approximately 10 percent of all primary care visits. D.O.s also have a strong history of serving rural and underserved areas, often providing their unique brand of compassionate, patient-centered care to some of the most economically disadvantaged members of society."

[yellerpup]

19. Follow Cassiepriam's advice

Have consultations with a plastic surgeon AND an attorney without delay. Good luck to you! I just know you're going to end up beautiful again.

[Eurobabe]

31. so sorry to hear about this, you might want to try

Jasons Skin-A-Mins, Vitamin E, also has MSM in it. I touched the top of an oven with my wrist last December and seared off a few layers of skin in an instant. I normally use this cream on my face, but at the advice of a friend started using the cream on my injury. It took out all the redness, aided healing and the scar is hardly visible now. Best of all, this face cream (which I have used for years now!) is CHEAP. You can get it at Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Vitamin Shoppe for about $7.00.

Hope you heal, and get things straightened out...

[Delphinus]

4. Something I always have on hand

is Arnica gel and Egyptian Magic (two different things). But cassie had a great hint about the plastic surgeon. You could use the Arnica without worries of doing the wrong thing - and probably also the Egyptian Magic, but follow your instincts.

Blessings and loving, healing energy is on its way to you!

[stellanoir]

5. oh djm

I'm so sorry you endured this ordeal.

Topically I've always used vitamin E, aloe gel, and Bach flower rescue remedy cream with good reslults for some real nasties.

But I feel cassie is right about consulting a plastic surgeon if your scarring is that sever.

Sending you lots of light and healing energy as well.

[sofedup]

6. in the "etc" category...

...since you have mentioned you are not a "young thing", you might consider using topically applied estrogen- in addition to seeing a plastic surgeon and taking the vitamins and supplements. Googling "topical estrogen wound healing" will bring up many articles about this.

Best of luck with your recovery!:hug:

[ebayfool]

22. I did the Google - very intriguing reading, that!

I have been having all the signs of an early menopause for years (I'm 52 now & started @ 40) & only recently found I have 'shrunk' over an inch in height. After reading all the negatives of hormone replacement I hadn't considered it an option, but the cream sounds like it would be worth another look. Not only for the wound healing properties, but the general uses & benefits. What I saw so far kinda fits w/the 'grey' look (skin tone, not hair - the grey hair I like ... makes me feel like I'm wise! LOL!) I've had for awhile. It seems that calcium uptake is highly intertwined w/estrogen levels. When I kicked up the calcium/mag supplements, within a week, had my first full period in over a year.

Lots of reading to do on this, the synergy between all of it is amazing. I do love a learning project - good for body & soul alike! Thank you, sofedup - an excellent 'etc'!

[BlueIris]

7. I'm sorry! That sounds very painful and scary. I'm with cassie, though,

do the herbal, homeopathic and alternative healing/supplement stuff after you've had a (decent) licensed physician take a look at you.

[Metta]

8. Liquid vitamin E used topically is a great healer.

Just lather it one and gently rub it in. Also, you'd benefit if you do a reverse impact ritual for yourself. This will draw out the violence from your injury that you're still harboring in your body and in your mind. Just, see/ ask that all of the energy of that incident be taken in reverse away from you. Your intention will do that for you even if your focus doesn't see it or is in the way. You may have to repeat this until you get calm and peace and you're sure there's no more traces of violence left. Any remaining traces of violence may possibly act as a magnet, attracting further violence seemingly unintentional or out of nowhere. I suspect you know how that works.

[ebayfool]

14. This hit w/some big impact. I may not have been aware of it, but when ...

I saw it I immediately recognized it - TY. Even coming back to this thread was kinda hard, but I've been thinking it through & coming to terms w/the fears that just 'saying aloud' here brought out. I kept circling the thread like it was a live thing since I asked for help. Cripes ... it took 2 hours thinking/looking/nerving up to push the 'post message' button to begin with! (Makes sense to me, but maybe not to others - I have no qualms asking for help for others, but for me it felt like weakness.)

I quit the owner of the dog. Attempting to keep the customer was feeling like an 'attack' happening over & over. And I was letting it happen by trying to separate her & the dog to hang on to the job. That felt like violence in itself. She has been subtly (& sometimes not so subtly) in aggressive mode since it happened. Statements like 'in her opinion I caused MOST of the damage because I jerked my head back & the ER was padding the bill & good thing looks don't matter in the work I do, etc'! I know she's trying to protect her own, but so much of that crap was so unnecessary & cutting - all said w/such a sweetly smile that I would have to ask her to repeat herself to be sure I was hearing right. I'm feeling better already, so what you wrote @ releasing the violence was really more needed than what I was asking for. I do believe this was necessary to face up to before I can focus on the scar part - a clean & focused effort?

I have been feeling like that Charley Brown character that walked around w/a perpetual dark cloud around him, PigPen? That was the feelings of fear & violence you caught - it's lifting, now.

Quite simply - Thank you so much.

[Metta]

21. I'm glad you're benefiting.

Thank you for your reply. I can only imagine what emotional and physical pain and suffering you're going through. Another way to remove violence, especially after you've done the reverse imaging, is to see yourself surrounded by an egg of gentle golden flame. You may get images or sensory movement or not. Your intention does the work even if you think you're getting no response. Staying with this image and breathing normally for even a minute at a time brings deep clearing and healing. Once things have settled down for you with this, you can bring further clearing and healing by continuing to see yourself in your egg and seeing the dog and then it's owner in theirs. If you find yourself resisting, that's a sign that you're on to something potentially very helpful. All the best.

[Mist]

9. I've used a very pure cocoanut extract skin product, and it nearly

eliminated a couple of bad burn scars. I've even heard of it working on old scars. I got a coconut product that melts in warm weather and should be kept in the fridge to keep it firm. I think the purer the product, the better it is for the skin, so if you're going to try a cocoanut product, it shouldn't be a lotion from the drugstore, but something from a health food store. I wish you good luck and great results with whatever you decide to use.

[Cleita]

10. That's pretty traumatic for you.

I have found aloe is good for scars but you have to start using it almost immediately even with sutures. It will help any further healing if you didn't do that. Go to the nursery and get an aloe plant. Break a leaf and squeeze out the goo and apply it directly.

[Quakerfriend]

11. Oh, blessings to you dj! I had great success with something

called SCAR MESSAGE which was originally formulated by Edgar Cayce. I know that you can buy it in WholeFoods, if you've got one near you.

I used it twice daily (for several months) on an abdominal scar and it healed beautifully. It prevented the raised red scar tissue from forming all together. And, it's been 30+ years since I used it.

I do hope that you will find a good plastic surgeon. Many years ago my mother took me to several plastics guys to see about having my rather large abdominal scar removed. I was 16, and completely against it. I did not think I needed it in the least! The first guy was "the best in Phila" and he looked over the top of his glasses and said to me, "You should be happy for what you have" and, "The scar cannot possibly be removed." (Of course, he made me feel about as big as a pea- even though I was only doing this for my mother's sake.)

My mother promptly took me to another doctor. And, long story short, he did a beautiful job! And, he treated me with loving kindness. I never knew how much good it would do me. Because of him I was able to have my kids!

So, shop around and find the "best" plastics doc you can. Even if you feel that you cannot afford it, do it!!! It will do you a world of good. And, of course, you deserve it.:*

I will keep you in my prayers, dj.:hug:

[Melissa G]

13. What Quaker friend said about the scarmassage cream is really

true.. I have used it on several clients and had excellent results. as soon as the wound is closed but while there is pink in the scar you can massage it medium gently with cross fiber strokes. In people with fair skin i have barely been able to make out the scar sometimes.. A couple of plastic surgeons were even referring folks to us 'cuz we sell it.
pm me if you need more scoop. Love and light and prayers to you!

A plastic surgeon would be a good idea though if you think you need one..

[ebayfool]

16. Thank you - ALL of you!

I'm using the vitamin E, coconut oil (had some in the fridge already!) & aloe gel - it's helping the drying & pulling. Bugger is very dry & I can't tell to lick lips on that part since the feeling is gone there. So these are helping that - it cracks & oozes if I don't keep it covered w/something & these fill the bill & help healing to boot! I'm snapping out of it, fear & self pity don't 'become' me much - thanks to the support group here. You all come through, once again.

I love this group!

Forum Angels All!



Off to the ghost kitties thread w/meself, there's so much to catch up on!

[conning]

18. The essential oil of helichrysum

blended in rose hip seed oil is helpful in reducing scars. See www.naturesgift.com

[I Have A Dream]

20. Welcome to the group, conning! Glad to have you here.

:hi:

[ebayfool]

24. Welcome to the forum & DU!

I like that site - TY for the link! That blend has been mentioned before, & looks very promising. I'm adding it to my shopping list - looks like it is a needful item for the medicine cabinet to have handy!

This forum is a wonderful place to learn @ just this kind of thing, & you're gonna love it. It's my go-to place for the best advise & support, I'd NEVER post @ this in any other part of DU! This group allows us to simply let it out & ask for what is needed w/out embarrassment (well, once I came to terms w/others reading &/or mocking - but I've decided to 'ell with 'em! I don't care what they think, but I prize what my friends here have to say!). It's one of the best parts of DU or anywhere! Nowhere could I possibly garner the combination of wisdom, experience & compassion that gathers here - in the same place & building on each others' learning! What a treasure, yes?!

Again ... welcome & thank you.

[yellowdawgdem]

26. no worries

It's best to relax if you can, and fully get out of "shock".
No matter what sort of trauma has happened, it takes time to get back to normal, including your physical body. I think, really, that if your lip is still swollen, you won't know for awhile how it will look. It will be a really good idea to consult a capable pl surg, a lawyer, etc etc. But meanwhile I wanted to tell you that I know somebody who had a swollen lip that looked kinda off center.
But after the swelling went down, it looked completely normal except for a small scar. So I guess I am basically saying don't worry, and take the right steps. I've been trying to send energy your way, though I'm not sure how one does that. Any instructions on how to send energy or light would be appreciated.

[I Have A Dream]

27. What I do when I want to send energy to someone is to, first and...

foremost, intend that it happen. To me that's the most important thing. Secondly, if they need comfort, I envision myself actually hugging the person. When I don't know what they look like, I just don't concentrate on the looks of the person. If I do know what the person looks like, I make sure that I include their actual looks in the visualization of me hugging them. If it's healing energy that they need, I envision them surrounded by light. (Could be violet, green (which is healing) or white light.) I try to maintain the visualization as long as I can. (Usually just a few seconds for me.) Lastly, I visualize that energy is going from me to them. For me, the energy is coming from my head in the 3rd eye area for some reason; however, it could come from the heart or any other place.

There are many ways to send energy, but this is what I do. Again, in my opinion, intention is the most important thing, so even just stating the words in your mind is extremely powerful.

Additionally, you could ask that the Universe send this energy to the person. I often use the method above and also ask that the Universe do the same. When I make requests from the Universe, I explicitly state that my intention is that it be what I'm requesting or even better and that it be for the highest good of everyone involved in the situation.

[yellowdawgdem]

28. thanks

for all of those suggestions. I will give those a try. I like the idea of intent, that is easy, and the idea of surrounding the person with healing light that could be whatever color it is.

[bliss_eternal]

30. djmaddox--

that sounds so painful! I'm so sorry that you experienced this. :hug:

I was bit by a dog as a child. He got me pretty good on the back of my shoulder. Thankfully, no rabies shots were required or any of that sort of thing. The scar is no longer visible at all.

As a kid, my family used a lot of aloe vera for healing and treating scars--which worked really well. As an adult, I've tried Mederma (from the local drugstore) and I LOVE IT! Mederma has helped me to get rid of a few scars quite effectively.

:hi: